Fuzz.com: A New Breed Of Record Company

San Francisco based Fuzz (Beta), is a good example of a hybrid record label and social network service (SNS). On the surface the site looks and feels like another SNS (think HayStack, PureVolume etc). However, dig a little deeper and the services they provide are extremely well thought out.

Three features stand out:

The ability to sell tracks from the Fuzz platform makes this site similar to Indiestore, but unlike the UK site, Fuzz has far more social networking functionality.

Fuzz offer artistes and labels a Mailing List function which allows additional email addressed to be imported, making this a far stronger feature than simply being able to email your Friend List. This is a feature we have often pointed out is missing from other networks.

Fuzz will offer popular unsigned artistes a more traditional label deal, involving tour support and offline promotions. It’s this feature we find most interesting, since Fuzz will effectively be using the SNS in an A&R capacity to discover new talent. Is this the way all labels will discover new music in future?

Fuzz is well thought out by people who obviously have good experience in the music industry since it offers several key features that are critical for artistes and labels. Furthermore, it serves as an interesting guide to how labels may evolve to empower artistes to reach their audience, whilst offering additional services to artistes who may be prepared to do a more advanced distribution deal.

Fuzz is US-based and apart from IndieStore & Last.fm, there appears to be very little happening in the UK to match these services.